The need for COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been unrecognized by over half of US adults, according to a recent study by the University of Pennsylvania.1
Only 38% of survey respondents indicated they would recommend pregnant patients receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and less women than men expressed belief that the vaccine is safe during pregnancy. This highlighted increasing controversy about vaccination use to protect pregnant women and their infants following updated recommendations in May 2025.
Key takeaways
- 42% of surveyed adults consider COVID-19 vaccination safe during pregnancy.
- Reproductive-aged women were less likely to endorse vaccine safety compared with other adults.
- Only 52% correctly identified that vaccination reduces hospitalization risk from COVID-19 infection.
- CDC withdrawal of pregnancy vaccination guidance (May 2025) has coincided with declining public confidence.
- Recommendation rates remain low for other maternal vaccines, including influenza (48%), Tdap (46%), and RSV (31%).
“Even though those in charge of the CDC have withdrawn its support for COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy, the science showing the value of that vaccination has not changed,” said Kathleen Hall Jamieson, PhD, Annenberg Public Policy Center director.
Survey results highlight gender and age gaps
The survey was conducted in August 2025 and included approximately 1700 US adults. Based on the responses, 28% of women aged 18 to 49 years believed it is false to say the COVID-19 vaccine is safe during pregnancy, vs 20% of other adults. For the mRNA vaccine, these rates were 36% and 45%, respectively.
Overall, only 42% of surveyed adults expressed a belief that COVID-19 vaccination is safe to receive during pregnancy. Investigators also highlighted a significant rise in reproductive-aged women believing it is false to state the vaccine is safe during pregnancy, from 19% in April 2024 to 28% in August 2025.
Knowledge about the COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy was also assessed. Correctly identifying the vaccine’s efficacy toward reducing hospitalization risk with COVID-19 was reported by 52% of patients, but 29% were not sure of this association and 19% believed this statement is false.
Knowledge gaps on vaccine benefits
Additionally, the odds of correctly identifying that vaccination protects against hospitalization were reduced in reproductive aged women. Rates for this belief were only 43% among this population vs 55% among other adults.
Only 51% of respondents knew that the risks of COVID-19 complications impacting pregnancy are reduced by the COVID-19 vaccine. Thirty percent of respondents were unsure about this association and 20% believed this statement is false.
Reduced belief in this association has also been reported, with a rate of 57% in April 2024. No significant differences were reported between reproductive-aged women in the general population.
Low support for other maternal vaccines
There were also low trends of recommending the flu, Tdap, and RSV vaccines during pregnancy despite recommendations remaining on the CDC website. These included:
- 48% for the flu vaccine
- 46% for the Tdap vaccine
- 31% for the RSV vaccine
Additionally, 35% of respondents saying they would not recommend RSV vaccination during pregnancy. Despite this sentiment, the CDC recommends pregnant women between September and January receive a single dose of RSV vaccination from 32- to 36-weeks’ gestation.
These trends follow the announcement in May 2025 that the CDC would no longer recommended COVID-19 vaccination for healthy children and healthy pregnant women. This is reflected in the CDC vaccination guidance webpage showing no guidance for COVID-19.
The use of vaccination to protect against COVID-19 infection during pregnancy has been highlighted by Jihong Liu, ScD, in an interview with Contemporary OB/GYN.2During the discussion, Liu recommended clinicians encourage their patients to take protective measures against COVID-19 during pregnancy, including vaccination.
“Those measures [include] vaccination, social distancing, wear masks, etcetera,” said Liu.
References
- Under half in US would recommend some routine vaccinations during pregnancy. Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. September 30, 2025. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1100243.
- Krewson C. Jihong Liu, ScD, explains how to improve perinatal outcomes in COVID patients. Contemporary OB/GYN. April 8, 2025. Accessed October 2, 2025. https://www.contemporaryobgyn.net/view/jihong-liu-scd-explains-how-to-improve-perinatal-outcomes-in-covid-patients.
